Forcella Lavardet MTB

I left at zero dark thirty and drove to Comeglians, north of Villa Santina.  Then I hopped on my mountain bike and rode up beautiful Val Pesarina.  This starts with a series of picturesque villages where clocks were made in the old days, now only one factory remains at Pesaris.  Higher up it is covered with miles of spruce forest, waterfalls, and a couple of small ski areas.  Around 1545m the main road continues up to the left toward Sella Ciampigotto.  On the right is a curious sign saying Forcella Lavardet, road closed.  This dirt (rock) road was closed in 1993 after torrential storms caused some huge landslides.  For years I read it was impassable, but lately I've seen some reports of people mountain biking it, so I had to try.  

The upper part is rough with exposed rock, and what look like remnants of rough pavé (more like a bunch of different-sized big rocks pounded into the dirt.  This wasn't too bad, I just went slow and the suspension fork took care of it.  All of this slow-going in the shade of a big mountain at 1500 meters after sweating up the hill took its toll: I was freezing.  I figured I wouldn't need a jacket after doing Col Visentin and Monte Grappa in short sleeves, but I figured wrong.  I got to shivering and I think I was a bit hypothermic because I was trying to sort some minor problem with my bike and had no comprehension nor coordination (even less than normal).   Later on the road is nice, wide, graded gravel- they've done a lot of work down there.  Eventually you rejoin rough pavement around 1300 meters, arrive at a beautiful little chapel, and wind down the fanciest set of tornanti I've ever seen.  It looks like a piece of art, every switchback is symmetrical and fits exactly into the the next, all the way down to the Torrente Frison.

The road ends at Campolongo di Cadore, where you turn right  and head up the Piave Valley to Sappada and Cima Sappada (1290m).  From there a wonderful downhill cruise through Forni Avoltri and Rigolato to Comeglians.  Got to try this in the opposite direction someday.

Waterfall along Val Pesarina road

The mystery road

Creta di Mimoias (2320m) north of forcella

Monte Brentoni (2548m) northwest of forcella

Another peak of Brentoni Group, above winding Torrente Frison

Torrente Frison

Close up Brentoni Group peak

A Terza Group peak (to east) 

This massive cliff face is part of Brentoni Group 

Madonna della Difesa chapel, at Merendera

Looking north through the mountain gap toward Campolongo
and peaks beyond

Looking down the tornanti toward bridge over Frison

Sun about to break over Terza Group 

Close up of Terza Group ridge with colored dolomite

The adjacent ridge, also with colored dolomite

Sun breaking out over the tornanti stack at Merendera

Beautiful Campolongo view to the north

Campolongo church copper steeple,
hay sheds on the hills above

Cima Sappada - Val Sesis

I rode this climb a couple of years ago and finally got around to revisiting today.  It's up in the corner of Venteo, Friuli and Austria, a sparsely developed area with wild, stark landscape.

I started from Comeglians (532m) about 0600 and warmed up on the moderate grades along Val Degano, in the shadow of Monte Crostis.  At Forni Avoltri (888m) the forest opens into steep grassy mountain slopes which the road traverses at a manageable gradient.  This changes after a crosscountry ski area at 1040 meters, with a sudden half kilometer of 15.8% through the forest.  Afterwards the grade eases a bit but still often exceeds 10%.  As you enter Cima Sappada (1290m) the road flattens out and you can catch your breath.  Don't get comfy though- you're just getting started.

Take the right turn marked variously Val Sesis or Sorgenti del Piave.  After winding through the village you climb easily through the forest and follow whitewater streams upward.  You hit the first surprise after about 2km- a serpentine section writhing up very steep mountainside.  I stood and pedaled my heart out for almost a kilometer.  Now it eases to a more human gradient for a couple of km.  Beautiful waterfalls, rapids, tall red spruce and stony peaks above.  Another killer serpentine stretch hits and feels like it will never ease up, but it finally does after close to 2 km.  More easy riding for a few minutes, then yet again a twisty steep stretch for another kilometer and a half.

You've entered the alpine grassy zone now- glorious scenery in all directions.  The road finally levels out some and you ride past a busy hiker parking area, then reach end of pavement at Rifugio Sorgenti del Piave (1830m).  There's a 2-hour long trail (CAI 136) from the hiker parking area traversing to Val Visdende, a paved road ascending from San Pietro.  The trail is too rough for a road bike, but one could hike it and carry/push the bike, or better still come up on a mountain bike.  I'll instead try to simply climb up from San Pietro and return back down- maybe in September?

The ride down is tricky this time of year due to traffic- the road is often too narrow for 2 cars to go by one another, particularly in the corkscrew-like serpentine sections, so they stop and figure out who's going where.  Italian cars/SUVs have been getting bigger- not up to US magnitude yet, but much larger than little subcompacts of 20-30 years ago,  while the roads are the same size as ever.  After you survive the descent to Cima Sappada it's a fast downhill ride to Comeglians, again slowed by traffic, but maybe it's better I wasn't going full-speed downhill into those curves.  Might have had a little too much fun.    

Monte Siera (2443m) towering above Cima Sappada

Waterfall to your left as you ascend

Another view of the falls

Monte Chiadenis (2459m)

Monte Chiadenis from a different angle 

Monte Peralba (2694m)

Monte Lastroni (2449m)

Dolomiti Bellunesi to the south

Waterfall on your right as you ascend

Contadina made of hay

Il suo marito

Hay sposi riding in their wedding sled

See all the over-10% gradient above that line

The ride

The climb up Val Sesis

Cima Sappada - Sorgente del Piave

Today was one climb stacked atop another- first Cima Sappada (1290 meters) from Comeglians (522 meters), then Sorgente Piave (1836 meters) from Cima Sappada.

Got started at 0730 from Comeglians- nice and cool out. Headed up Val Degano to Forni Avoltri (888 meters), then continued up the easy grade to Piani di Luzza. Here the easy grade ends, with an 800 meter ramp of 15%, followed by switchbacks averaging 8.3% to the top. Rested a bit and snapped some pictures, then headed on to part 2.

The route to Sorgente del Piave is a narrow mountain road, with lots of short steep switchbacks, and numerous stretches of 14-16%. It follows the beautiful Val Sesis through the fir forest, with plentiful rapids and waterfalls. Further on, a few meadows open up, with cows and their clanking bells, like a distant gamelan orchestra. The altopiano is covered in tufted grass, surrounded by high dolomite peaks. At end of pavement is a spring where the Piave River begins. I made it to the top at 10 AM, rested, and took some fotos.

I got quite cold on the way down. Felt great, knowing how hot it would be when I got home.

Highly recommend this climb if you get a chance- beautiful backcountry, and though it's steep, it's certainly rideable. Enjoy!

Monte Siera from Piani di Luzza

Monte Pieros (2314 m) from Piani di Luzza

Beginning of the 15% ramp after Piani di Luzza

Monte Curie (2036 m) from Cima Sappada

Monte Siera (2443 m) from Cima Sappada

Mountains to southwest of Cima Sappada

Waterfall on the Piave River

Chutes on the river

Another lovely waterfall

Monte Rinaldo (2471 m) from altopiano

Sorgente del Piave w/statue of Italian WW I helmet

Monte Peralba (2693 m) east of altopiano

Dolomite spire above Rifugio Calvi

Monte Lastron (2449 m) west of altopiano

Dolomite towers along ridgeline

Close up of dolomite formation

Rapids on Piave River

Small waterfall on Piave

Pretty little waterfall on Piave